No place like home: Kids' touches add to charm of 'new' house

Monday

Nov 30, 2009 at 12:01 AMNov 30, 2009 at 11:20 AM

STOCKTON - Even a day after returning to her home, miraculously made over in a four-day holiday sprint by 44 members of her family - sons, daughters, in-laws, grandchildren and great-grandchildren - Virginia Bird still marveled.

Reed Fujii

STOCKTON - Even a day after returning to her home, miraculously made over in a four-day holiday sprint by 44 members of her family - sons, daughters, in-laws, grandchildren and great-grandchildren - Virginia Bird still marveled.

"There's not an inch of this house that hasn't been painted by human hands and cleaned and scrubbed," she said Sunday.

In a former porch long since converted to recreation room, she marveled at a massive entertainment cabinet, complete with TV set, given by some of her children. "Right out of their home," she said.

"These are the kind of kids to have," said her husband, Dee Bird.

But perhaps even more than the new paint, laminated hardwood flooring, shower fixtures, carpeting, furnishings, air vents, hinges, doorknobs and throw rugs that grace the modest 1950s-era home off Robinhood Drive, Virginia Bird, 78, sees her family everywhere she looks.

They're even in the flaws - the unpainted spots, fingerprints, bumps and dings - left by the multigenerational crew.

"These are precious to me, because it reminds me of all the little hands that were participating," she said, her eyes welling with tears.

The home makeover went off pretty much as planned, said Susan Westra, one of the Birds' daughters and a project foreman.

There was the problem of the carpet installers running three hours late, and another keeping some of the crew on task once the replacement TV was installed.

Then, at another point, as the hardwood flooring was being laid and freshly painted baseboards were positioned for installation, a spilled can spattered paint over both.

That emergency, too, was quickly resolved.

Despite the wielding of saws, power drills and various other implements, there were only a few minor cuts, bumps and strains. And the project came in under budget (totals are still being tallied, with some materials to be returned) at less that $10,000.

Virginia Bird, though, figures there's another tab to pay.

"We've got to live at least 25 years ... because we have to enjoy it," she said.

"Speak for yourself," Dee Bird responded. He's making no such pledge.

"I'm taking it one year at a time," he said.

An orphan whose parents died young, Dee Bird said, "Every day over the age of 50 is a bonus. Here I am 80 years old."

Virginia Bird noted that her children were born and raised in Stockton and attended local schools.

The family also shares a strong faith as members of the Mormon church.

Before beginning the makeover work every day, family members would gather for morning prayers, including a conference call to include some in Boston who could not attend.